A golden giant stood tall, towering into the clouds. Its fur gleamed like gold, and its divine strength defied the heavens. In one hand, it wielded a colossal black club, sweeping across the sky.
With a thunderous whoosh, the club tore through peaks, sending them flying as if made of paper. Then they burned, turning to ash.
This beast was a golden divine ape, but with a pair of dragon horns atop its head and crimson feet. It stood between heaven and earth, an awe-inspiring force.
On the opposite side, a fiery red bird soared, not large in size, yet trailing waves of crimson inferno. It seemed capable of burning even the nine heavenly layers, turning the sky completely crimson.
Below, mountains melted into rivers of magma, which converged into boiling red lakes.
The battle between the ape and the bird raged on, intense and unrelenting.
Shi Hao was delighted. He instantly recognized them, and such a clash was not new to him—he had witnessed it before during the struggle for the mountain treasure.
They were Mao Qiu and Xiao Hong. After many years, their rivalry reignited.
Clearly, the battlefield was sealed by a grand formation; otherwise, the destruction would have been far greater. Moreover, something strange occurred within the battlefield—ruined mountains gradually restored themselves, and the magma receded.
“The Divine and Devil Battlefield!” Moon Grace murmured, recognizing the artifact.
This battlefield was actually a rare magical weapon, something uncommon in the world. The witch once possessed one—an exceptionally rare spatial artifact. It had even trapped Moon Grace briefly within Stone City.
Jue Hong and Xiao Hong were not using it to fight but had transformed it into their battleground, simulating a vast realm of mountains and rivers. Otherwise, their destructive power would have devastated the entire wilderness.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, Mao Qiu transformed into a giant golden-winged roc and dove toward Xiao Hong. Its massive talons sought to tear the smaller bird apart.
Xiao Hong bristled its feathers, emitting a brilliant glow. With a resonant hum, it turned into a burning sun and charged toward the flying predator. Though small, its might was unmatched.
“Boom!”
Violent collision sent feathers flying as both combatants were forced backward.
In the next instant, Xiao Hong transformed into a humanoid figure, clad entirely in radiant red-gold armor, revealing only its eyes. Dozens of crimson blades hovered behind its back, and thousands more surrounded it in midair, all shimmering with divine radiance.
The sky trembled as it drew one sword. Instantly, the rest chimed together, unleashing an endless wave of crimson light, slicing forward in unison. Each blade was a sigil, forming an unparalleled sword formation to seal Mao Qiu, its killing aura piercing the heavens.
Mao Qiu roared, first morphing into a three-headed, six-armed warrior, surging forward with boosted strength to resist the endless crimson sword formation. Then, it rapidly shrank into a golden battle deity. Its golden image flickered, splitting into countless copies that charged into the sword array.
“Brilliant!” Shi Hao exclaimed. Their techniques kept shifting, their divine arts unending. This duel was truly inspiring.
Their power was undisputed, as both radiated flickering divine flames—a sign they were on the verge of igniting the divine fire, a key step toward transcendence.
“Big Brother, how come you were gone so long? You finally came back,” a gentle breeze spoke warmly, explaining to Shi Hao. With Willow God’s help, Mao Qiu had recovered, and before the Stone Village relocated, Big Red Bird had also returned with Xiao Hong.
From the moment Mao Qiu and Xiao Hong reunited, they engaged in battle. Their rivalry was inevitable. Though not a life-or-death fight, they clashed nearly every few days.
Recently, the people of Stone Village grew accustomed to their duels. Qing Feng, Big Auntie Qing Lin Eagle, Da Zhuang, and Hu Zi often came to watch and learn.
Shi Hao sighed softly. Willow God was about to depart. To protect the village, it restored Mao Qiu and helped the Qing Lin Eagle clan strengthen their physical forms.
“Aowww…” A long cry echoed, half wolf, half bird. A ferocious flying beast, crimson and fiery, soared toward Shi Hao, exuding unparalleled arrogance.
Over a hundred zhang long, it radiated blazing crimson light, its fiery wings threatening the sky, its attack overwhelming.
Shi Hao simply smiled. He raised a hand, which expanded until it engulfed the beast. In moments, the creature shrank, becoming less than a foot long, flapping helplessly in his grasp.
It revealed its true form—the Big Red Bird. Disheartened, it muttered, “Even after taking the Vermilion Bird as my master, I still can’t match you…”
Laughter erupted. Moments ago, the bird had charged in with supreme confidence, now it was sulking, filled with resentment.
“You’ve improved. You’re much stronger than before,” Shi Hao chuckled. He had left the Big Red Bird behind in the Fire Nation, under Xiao Hong’s tutelage. Clearly, the time had paid off.
“Did Er Tu Zi return?” Shi Hao inquired.
Qing Feng shook his head. Since their parting, Er Tu Zi had never returned.
“What a disloyal friend! He abandoned his elder brother and fled,” Big Red Bird grumbled.
Shi Hao chuckled. Kong Qiu Ji, known as Er Tu Zi, was a Supreme Venerable. His misfortune stemmed from the time he was abandoned at Stone Village, enduring Big Red Bird’s antics.
Without needing to imagine, he had likely used the Heaven Race’s array to ascend to the higher realm with his beloved.
Shi Hao sighed. Old friends from the Fire Nation and the Heaven Race had all departed. The world felt strangely quiet.
“Chi!”
A golden blur shot forward. A golden monkey, no taller than a fist, landed on the cliffside, its eyes glowing like fire. It glared at Shi Hao with open hostility.
Moments later, a red bird the size of a palm also descended in a burst of flame, landing on the mountaintop.
Their battle ended, and the Divine and Devil Battlefield faded away.
“Mao Qiu, what’s wrong with your eyes? Don’t you recognize me?” Shi Hao teased casually.
“You took advantage of my memory loss! What did you make me do?!” the small golden monkey demanded, its pair of luminous tiny horns now grown, glowing softly.
“I took great care of you during those years! Like when you stole eggs from the Five-Feathered Luo Bird, I roasted them for you and shared the meal. Or when you stole a peacock egg, I had to run with you from the enraged peacock, fleeing into the Yin River to escape…” Shi Hao replied with a grin.
“Please! Don’t talk about it anymore!” Mao Qiu shouted, blushing. At such a stage, how could he still be known for stealing eggs?
“Laughable! A great descendant of the divine apes, yet a little thief,” the red bird cackled, flapping its wings and shouting “egg thief,” howling with laughter.
“Xiao Hong, Mao Qiu, you guys…” Shi Hao tried to interrupt.
“Be quiet!” Both shouted in unison, especially Mao Qiu, who gritted its teeth. After years of amnesia, he ended up with such a ridiculous name?
These two were extraordinary. Though their cultivation period wasn’t long, they were already nearing the point of igniting divine fire. If their clans still survived, they would undoubtedly be terrifying.
Especially Mao Qiu, which startled Yue Chan. It bore an uncanny resemblance to the one who had once battled the Western Sect, the same with the dragon horns. Could it be a descendant?
“Let’s go! Back to the village!” Shi Hao shouted. Cheerfully, the group set off, filled with joy.
Moon Grace and Qin Hao were deeply moved. Was this truly still a village? Whether it be the magical arrays, holy herbs, or powerful experts, everything here was enough to leave all sects in stunned disbelief.
“This is a divine village,” Moon Grace whispered. With the willow tree present, this name was fully deserved.
“Mao Qiu, Xiao Hong, help me catch a thief bird.”
They entered the village from the rear. Shi Hao gazed at an ancient jujube tree, twisted like a coiling dragon. Upon it was a bird’s nest as large as a human’s head. Since childhood, he had sought to capture the Five-Colored Bird but had never succeeded.
“It’s long gone. It hasn’t been seen for a long time,” Qing Feng explained.
Shi Hao muttered in disappointment, once again lamenting.
When Moon Grace learned from Pi Hou and Er Meng that this was a tricky five-colored bird—the only one ever to make young Shi Hao cry and still elude capture—she couldn’t help but smile in disbelief.
“Stop!” Shi Hao’s face flushed red. He had no intention of recalling such old memories.
Qin Hao gave him a strange look.
Moon Grace, on the other hand, was already giggling, her expression both radiant and amused. This savage-looking character from childhood was oddly endearing, contrasting sharply with the terrifying image she once held.
“Do you have more embarrassing moments you can tell me about?” Only now did Qin Hao seem like a younger brother.
“Ask me, I know everything,” Pi Hou smirked proudly.
“Oh no you don’t!” Shi Hao interjected, his face darkening with embarrassment.
“Go ahead, tell us,” Moon Grace urged with a bright smile, her beauty shining bright, clearly enjoying this.
“Xiao Hao was so funny. He wouldn’t stop nursing at age three…”
“Wrong! At eight, we still saw him sneaking milk,” another added.
…
Qin Hao was stunned. Moon Grace laughed heartily, swaying like a blooming flower, amazed at how the cruel Xiao Shi could have such a different side.
Shi Hao was nearly driven mad, his face burning red. Unable to stop his childhood friends, he could only cover his head and flee, muttering, “I won’t listen, I won’t listen.”
“Xiao Hao, it’s nothing. your wife is already pregnant and staying here for the birth. Laughing is good for her,” Hu Zi chimed.
“Find some plums for her! She’s been craving something sour lately,” Shi Hao shouted, fleeing in embarrassment.
This time, Moon Grace had no reason to laugh—she gritted her teeth silently instead.
“Xiao Hong, Mao Qiu, what exactly was that mountain treasure you two fought for?” Shi Hao inquired. This question had puzzled him for years.
“Why should I tell you?” Xiao Hong scoffed, clearly annoyed by the nickname.
“Don’t you remember who took you to the Heaven-Mending Pavilion to eat sacred herbs? Who brought you to the Roc’s Nest to see the sea?” Shi Hao bragged, shamelessly.
Mao Qiu hesitated. Though it hated the name, recalling its time with the youth, the bond they shared was genuine.
“It was a box crafted from a piece of heavenly bone. Inside it lay a supreme treasure—a technique so powerful, it could surpass all others,” Mao Qiu revealed.
“Could it rival the Seventy-Two Transformations or the Vermilion Bird Art?” Shi Hao asked in disbelief.
“No. It’s an art that governs techniques themselves. If mastered, it could unify all divine arts, merging all sacred techniques into one. The possibilities are limitless,” Mao Qiu explained.
“Do you know what it is? It’s one of the Forbidden Scriptures!” The crimson bird added.
“One of the treasures the Heaven Realm’s overlords seek,” Mao Qiu concluded gravely.
Shi Hao was stunned. Yet, the treasure was now lost, its whereabouts unknown.
“I once possessed it, but gravely wounded, I fell unconscious at the lake’s bottom…” Mentioning this made Mao Qiu furious.
This night was filled with laughter and joy. Under the pure moonlight, by the sapphire-like lake, campfires danced. Young and old gathered around the flames, sharing stories and laughter.
Golden roasted meats, fragrant monkey wine, children running about, and playful small beasts like the Lightning Canine and the Violet-Golden Rat formed a heartwarming scene.
Shi Hao brought many gifts—treasured artifacts, piles of wine, and even pure-blooded creatures like the Blue Dragon, Nine-Headed Serpent, and Violet-Golden Ant, their meat rich in divine essence.
Only the Venerables could handle bites of the high-ranking beasts—these had to be refined as sacred elixirs. Their divine energy was too potent for common cultivators.
Luckily, there were also many lesser creatures and delicacies to share. Reunited, all drank and feasted joyfully, their laughter never ceasing.
Even children stole small sips of wine, staggering and falling over, looking both adorable and funny.
Throughout the evening, Shi Hao gifted many treasures. Both children and elders beamed with joy, unable to contain their delight.
Especially the immense reserves of Earth Flame Liquids astonished everyone. Even Moon Grace and Qin Hao were left speechless at the sheer quantity.
As the night deepened, most returned to the village, while a few intoxicated celebrators lay snoring in the moonlit grass.
Under the village’s old willow tree, Shi Hao sat in conversation with Xiao Ta and Willow God. A deep sense of loss filled him. Was he truly about to leave?
To him, Willow God was both a mentor and a friend. He had grown up beneath its shade, cherishing their bond. Would he never see it again?
Softly, he whispered, exchanging farewells, his heart heavy.
“After the final divine war of the Eight Realms, I shall depart,” Willow God said calmly.
“And I have made the same decision,” Xiao Ta added.
Both advised Shi Hao to seek the Upper Realm. The laws of this world were incomplete, and the path of Dao was fractured—unsuitable for further cultivation.
“What is so special about the Upper Realm?”
“Is the Upper Realm’s earth extra hard?” Xiao Ta teased.
“How vast is it? How powerful are its beings?” Shi Hao, now slightly drunk from the monkey wine, looked up with the innocent curiosity of a village youth, filled with yearning for the unknown.
“The Upper Realm is boundless, endless,” Willow God replied, answering sincerely.
“Do you think beings like the Western Sect Master, the Heaven-Mender’s Leader, and the Deathless Sovereign—those who triggered the great tribulation—are strong?”
“They are indeed strong!” Shi Hao replied.
“They only explored less than a tenth of the Upper Realm. Over ninety percent is still mysterious, untouched, even by them,” Xiao Ta explained.
“What?! Shi Hao gasped in disbelief, his drunkenness instantly fading.
“Perhaps, after passing through the Primordial Gate, the final destination I seek lies in the deepest, most mysterious part of the Upper Realm,” Willow God mused, uncertain but hopeful.
Who could say what lay beyond that step?
There were many paths. This was but one.
In ages past, dying giants and elderly sect leaders would venture into that vast, unknown territory in search of transcendence.
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